


I Get Shotgun This Time

by sinistercollyflower



Category: The Maze Runner Series - All Media Types, The Maze Runner Series - James Dashner
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gang World, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Meetings, Flirting, Gang AU, Homophobic Language, I hope, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Others Mentioned - Freeform, a bit?, idk where the line between graphic and non-graphic is, it's just implied, newt needs to cheer up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-28
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2019-07-03 18:09:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15824208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinistercollyflower/pseuds/sinistercollyflower
Summary: Newt's pretty sure he's screwed.The three guys that have him cornered in this deserted parking lot are all twice his size and none of them look like they're up for talking it out. Thankfully, neither is the owner of that jeep that just entered the lot, apparently.





	I Get Shotgun This Time

**Author's Note:**

> slight warning for violence and homophobic language.   
> this, like many of my other fics, originated on tumblr, of course.   
> i might continue it but probably in the form of a series, considering i mostly have a bunch of scenes in my head and not a concrete plotline.
> 
> oh yeah, also, it was posted on tumblr as a two parter bc my ADHD ass couldn't wait to finish it, that's why it has that weird break in the middle.

Newt was pretty sure he was done for. 

He did manage to get one of them down, thanks to pure wit, but there were two more and each of them was twice his size, not to mention he was already badly hurt. They’d backed him up against a wall and he was rapidly realizing that he didn’t stand an atom of a chance against them. He really shouldn’t be standing on a broken leg. 

Just as he was reaching for his switch blade a jeep entered the deserted parking lot. It seemed to be heading to one of the parking spaces nearest to the entrance but then changed course straight for them, the driver had apparently spotted them. Newt covered his eyes as the headlights hit the three of them.

The driver’s side door opened and out climbed… a kid. Okay, Newt was definitely screwed, unless this bloke decided to get back in the car and run them all over, which would be preferable to this, Newt considered himself a dead man. The kid slammed the door and stalked towards them, looking pretty miffed, from what Newt could see. 

The headlights were still too bright and the newcomer was in front of them so Newt’s perception was limited, but the kid looked to be in his late teens to early twenties, built only a little better than Newt himself, though still skinny, and just a tad shorter. How he planned to take on two 6ft tall and similarly wide guys was beyond Newt, but he’ll take all the help he can get at this point. On the other hand, he could be intending to help the attackers, who knows.

“Gally, if I see you on my turf one more time, I swear to god.” And okay, he was definitely miffed, and definitely on Newt’s side. He seemed to be carrying something in his hand, but Newt couldn’t tell what. 

The taller one of the two aggressors scoffed and turned around fully. His friend made the same mistake. 

“Oh please Grennie, and what are you gonna do about-“ he didn’t get to finish his sentence, because ‘Greenie’ had reached him at that point, and didn’t waste a single second before he swung the baseball bat in his hand in one smooth motion, dropping Gally to the ground in one hit. That would surely leave lasting damage.

Newt didn’t have time to ponder that though. He used the commotion to catch the other one unprepared, grabbing him around the shoulders from behind and pressing his switchblade to his throat.   
“Not. A. Bloody. Sound.” He growled to his captive. The twit opened his mouth to protest. Newt pressed the blade harder. That shut him up quite efficiently. 

“Alright, now that this lovely gentleman has you where I need you, you’re gonna listen to me, and you’re gonna listen good.” The Greenie kid turned to Newt's captive, pointing the bat at his face. 

“Crossing onto my turf isn’t that bad, I mean we’re still in the same gang, right?” the bloke nodded as much as he could with a knife still pressed to his throat. “But if you’re caught trying to harm another civilian on our territory, I’ll be having words with Vince, and you fucking bet we won’t be in the same gang anymore. You, and all of Gally’s little followers are going to be considered a threat and an enemy to this neighborhood, and if that happens? God help you. You know firsthand what we’re capable of. So are we clear, buddy?” he finishes with a boyish smile that definitely doesn’t belong in a situation like this, but adds to his threat that much more. The captive nods minutely again. 

“Good! I hope you remembered all that, you’ll be delivering the message to Gally, cause I’m definitely not waiting around for him to wake up. Now get off my turf, and take your friends if you could, I don’t want police coming here because some dumbfuck reported dead bodies again.” 

Newt takes that as his cue to slowly release the twit, not before “accidentally” nicking him on the neck of course, and he scampers off.

They’re left alone with two unconscious bodies now. Newt stumbles back to lean against the wall. With the adrenalin slowly leaving his system, the pain in his leg is making a vicious comeback, and he slides down the wall into a sitting position. Greenie drops his bat and hastily approaches. He stops and crouches at arm’s length though, probably afraid of doing more damage. “Hey,” he sounds genuinely worried for a stranger, a full 180 from his tone not 2 seconds ago, “are you injured? Do you need help?” 

“Leg’s broken, I think.” Newt supplies shortly. His ribs are at the very least bruised as well, and breathing is getting to be quite a dreadful affair. 

“Let me take you to the hospital.” Greenie suggests, Newt shakes his head.

“I don’t have insurance, and I’m illegal to boot.”

“Oh no worries, I have a pal in the hospital, he’s a nurse but it’s not like we haven’t done shit like this before.” The American explains, then extends a hand to him, “Now come on, I’ll help you to the car.” 

Newt eyes the hand for a second, then decides he hasn’t got much to lose at this point and lets himself be hauled to his feet. Greenie grabs him around the waist and lets him drape his arm over his shoulder in order to support himself and not use his bad leg. “I’m Thomas by the way.” He says as they make their way to the jeep.

“Newt, nice to meet you mate.” He answers, slightly out of breath. The pain and exertion are getting to him faster than he thought they would. Thomas helps him into the backseat, where he rests his leg along the seat. There’s barely enough space for him to stretch out fully but he manages, and they start on their way to the hospital. 

Thomas makes a phone call on the way, giving instructions and answering questions that the nurse is apparently asking. “Alright, Jeff will be waiting for us at the back entrance, he’ll try to nab a wheelchair for you but he says not to hold our breath on that one.” He tells him after ending the call. 

Newt nods to himself, then, just in case Thomas didn’t see him through the rearview mirror, adds, “Thank you, I really owe you one for this.”

Thomas snorts, “No you don’t, this is basically my job, and even if it wasn’t, I’d be such a douchebag if I didn’t help you. So don’t sweat it, I’m glad I got there when I did.” He smiles at Newt through the rearview and it’s so genuine and sweet Newt has to remind himself that this boy dropped a man twice his size in one swing without even blinking not 5 minutes ago. 

“You said it’s your job?” he asks to distract himself from those doe eyes. Thomas makes a face.

“Well I’m part of a… group, that works to protect this part of town.” 

“You said gang earlier.” Newt deadpans, not taking any bullshit.

“Oh you caught that. Okay so maybe not all of what we do is completely legal.” He admits. “But this is a bad neighborhood and the police have given up on it and the government is pretty much trying to choke the population out of their homes because it’s a “stain on the community” so when legal means can’t protect the people, you kinda resort to what you can do yourself for them, because the system is shit like that.” Newt watches in amusement as he gets more and more worked up as he goes. The kid seems to be very passionate about his cause.

“Sounds noble,” Newt comments “like robin hood and the gang.” He jokes, making his driver scoff, but he can see the small smile he’s fighting. 

Jeff the nurse is a lanky guy waiting for them at the staff entrance to the hospital, without a wheelchair unfortunately, so it takes him and Thomas to help Newt out of the car and all the way to the ex-ray room. Some 20 minutes later he’s sitting on a medical table, being told that this is definitely gonna hurt. Thomas extends his hand in solidarity and Newt takes it without a second thought and nods to Jeff who moves to set his leg. He thinks he’s going to chip a tooth how hard he’s clenching them when the deed is done. At least Thomas is sharing his pain somewhat, seeing as he’d squeezed his hand so hard that they might need to go back to the ex-ray. 

“That’s a strong grip you got there buddy,” Thomas shakes his hand as Jeff works on casting Newt’s leg.

“I imagine it’s almost as impressive as your swing.” He answers and decidedly ignores Jeff’s amused look.

“Alright, while you two were flirting, I took care of this leg situation.” The nurse informs them with a smirk. “I’ve managed to nab some painkillers for you, but try to take only one, two at most, per day. You should be okay to take off the cast in a few weeks, and put an ice pack on those ribs when you get home.” He hands Newt the pill bottle before either of them can protest the earlier comment. “You got crutches?” Newt shakes his head.

“I think Minho has some, I’ll ask him to borrow them.” Thomas interjects. 

Jeff nods his approval, apparently knowing who Minho was. “Alright, now get out of my hospital before someone starts asking questions.” He commands and they make themselves scarce. 

Outside by the jeep, Thomas turns to him, “Where do you live?” he asks in a tone that leaves no room for argument.

Newt blinks. Then smiles. “Alright,” he allows, “but I get shotgun this time.” 

~

“Can I ask you something?” Thomas breaks the silence once he’d received the address and they got Newt into the car.

Newt just nods. 

“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but why were you fighting them? Did they attack you?” Thomas inquires, he needs to know, in order to deal with the situation accordingly with Vince. There was pretty much no excuse for attacking a civilian in their gang, but he wanted to know, for reasons.

Newt sighed, “It was partially my fault. You could say that I provoked them.” 

Thomas sent him a suspicious look “How, exactly?”

Newt kept his eyes on the road, but still answered, “They shouted at me when I passed them, called me faggot and such. I turned around and spit one of their faces.” He slumps back in his seat and rubs at his eyes tiredly with one hand. “I’m usually not provoked very easily, I like to think I’m mild tempered, but it was a long day. I was at the end of my tether. Not like they’re wrong.” he adds quietly, as if just to himself. 

When Thomas just stares at him he looks up with wide eyes, “I realize I probably shouldn’t have said that after getting in a car with you without knowing your views…” God he was tiered, must have been the fatigue and pain that had him babbling like this. 

Thomas scoffs, “Don’t worry, it’d be pretty hypocritical of me to kick you out because of that.” he says nonchalantly, and Newt couldn’t help but stare for a bit. “And they were wrong. About you.” Thomas adds a little more quietly, though not lacking conviction. 

“Are you saying that you know more about my sexuality than I do?” Newt asks him, amused. 

“No,” Thomas assures him a little hastily, “I’m saying that you’re not what they called you, by their standards. You’re not what they implied with the word, what they think the word means. I mean you’re not weak, you kicked their asses!” he waves a hand for emphasis “And don’t get me started on how you “provoked” them, you had full rights to react like that, are you kidding me? I woulda’ decked him straight off the bat!” he’s getting worked up again, Newt finds it incredibly adorable.

“Yeah you do seem rash like that.” He teases, then just to soothe the glare he gets in return, adds, “But I didn’t kick their asses. You came in on your white horse, with your bat and saved me.” He says sweetly, batting his eyelashes at the other man. Thomas’s cheeks visibly darken, making Newt break character and laugh.

“Speaking of which, you should probably carry a weapon.” Thomas hurries to continue. 

Newt just raises an eyebrow. Pulls out his switch blade. Twirls it around his fingers. Enjoys the way Thomas’s eyes follow the motion intently. 

“That’s a bit small.” The American manages. 

Newt resists the urge to make a size joke. Barely. “So what, are you saying I should go around with a machete?” he goes for sarcasm instead. It’s more dignified. 

“That would be pretty sexy, but no, I was thinking more like a firearm.” Thomas retorts, pulling a browning out of the glove compartment, “Equally as attractive I’d say.” he adds, giving the brit an appreciative once-over and wow, Newt didn’t think he had it in him. “Do you know how to shoot one?” 

Newt shakes his head. “They were harder to come by back home. I didn’t manage to get my hands on one for long enough to learn.” He explains. 

Thomas raises an eyebrow, “But you did try? Why did you need a gun? Come to think of it, how’re you so good with a knife?” he asks. 

Newt snorts, “You ask way too many questions Tommy boy. I left the UK for a reason. You’re not my first experience with gangs.” He answers with a slight sneer. The first one definitely wasn’t a pleasant experience.

“Would you be willing to tell me more about it? I’m assuming you were a member.” Thomas ventures carefully, and he nods. 

“Via my mother, the drunken whore.” Newt begins with palpable disgust. “I got into it to protect my sister, the bitch was threatening to push her in to sex trafficking and I made a compromise, started working odd jobs for her boss, sold some drugs, stuff like that. Went on like that for a while, until she started up with that talk again. Her hitting Sonia right in front of me was the last bloody straw. Took her to court, got custody over my sister, considering I had a registered workplace and a university education while she didn’t have either. Then somehow, I don’t even know how I got so fucking lucky, pulled a work visa for here and booked it with Sonia. It expired last month.” He doesn’t even know why he’s telling Thomas all this.

Thomas stares at him. “Your visa?” he settles on. 

“Yeah,” Newt says, “I filed for a new one, but I don’t know if I’ll get it. I’m not going back to England though, I can tell you that much.” He finishes determinedly. 

Thomas studies him for a while. “What do you do?” he finally asks.

“I’m an attorney.”

“An attorney in a gang?”

“We come in pretty handy.” Newt shrugs. 

“Can I make you an offer?” Thomas finally asks. 

It’s not like Newt hadn’t expected this. “I mean, I’m probably about to lose my job over the paid leave I’m going to have to request for this bloody leg, so I can tell you right now that I’ll take you up on pretty much anything, as long as Sonia stays out of it.” He answers casually, giving Thomas a warning look along with that last part. 

Thomas raises his palms in a placating gesture. “I was gonna offer protection for her, amongst other things,” he reassures, “I’m going to talk to our leaders, see if we could use your skill, which I’m pretty sure we would. In return you’d get protection from us, for both of you. We take care of our own and we have ways of helping that are beyond just protection. Money in a pinch, fake id’s, securing jobs and so on. Right now I can tell you that even if you decline, we will be ready to help you in any way we can, as we do with the rest of our turf.” He finishes, suddenly all business. 

Newt regards him for a bit as he mulls it over. He knows what re-entering a gang would entail, he’d done it all before. Just younger and stupider. He was prepared to defend his gang members in court before and he would be now if he was to commit to this. He just doesn’t want to get screwed over like last time. The thing is, Thomas instills an unexpectedly strong feeling of trust in him, and nothing he did up until now seemed self-serving. On the contrary, he’d done everything in his power to help Newt without a sign of wanting something in return. Up until now that is. 

Newt nods anyway.

“I’m up for it.” He says. Something in him wants to help Thomas with his cause, which is protecting this neighborhood, apparently. 

Thomas’s face lights up like Newt promised him something personal, not agreed to what was basically a business transaction. “Great! I’ll talk to them. Now let’s get you inside.” He says as he exits the jeep. Newt realizes that he hadn’t noticed when they’d stopped. They could have been parked in front of his ratty old apartment building for half an hour for what he knew. “I’ll come back tomorrow with the crutches.” Thomas informs him when he opens the passenger side door. 

“Thanks mate, I really owe you for this.” Newt tells him as he lets Thomas help him out of the vehicle. The lift is thankfully functional today, otherwise they’d have to make their way to the 4th floor via stairs, and Newt really wasn’t in the mood for that kind of torture. He leans on the wall of the elevator and tells Thomas the floor number. 

Thomas turns to him when the door slides shut, “So um, I could teach you to shoot?” he all but stammers.

Newt just stares at him. Not because the offer surprised him, that one he was hoping for, but because of Thomas’s complete change in demeanor. How he could be relaxed and chatting away one moment and turn this awkward the next was beyond Newt. It was also hilarious. So he burst out laughing. 

“When you get better of course!” Thomas hastened to add over his laughter, “we don’t let members carry guns until they’re trained and evaluated by someone senior to them, so you’d need the training in order to get that gun I was talking about—“ Newt interrupts him with a hand on his forearm. He would let him babble more, because it was seriously adorable, but they had reached their floor and he had taken pity on the poor git. 

“I’d love to learn from you Tommy,” he tells him, “shall we make it a date?” Fuck it, he’s feeling bold, and he really likes this guy.

Thomas blinks, then hastens to help him along when Newt gestures at the now closing door. “You know, I think I’ve come up with a way for you to repay me for my help tonight.” He says as they make their way to Newt’s apartment. Newt raises an eyebrow. 

“I thought I did that by agreeing to join.” He deadpans. 

“Nope,” Thomas retorts happily, with emphasis on the ‘p’, “how about you give me your number, maybe buy me a drink, and we can call it even.” He suggests with a cocky grin, and oh, seems all he needed to get over his awkwardness is the reassurance that Newt is game. 

“I hope we won’t be having that drink before my lesson,” Newt pretends to muse, ringing the doorbell.

“After, in celebration.” Thomas suggests.

“It’s a date then.”

“What’s a date, then?” a feminine voice interjects, and they both look down to meet the brown eyes of a small blonde teen. She looks between them suspiciously, moreso at Thomas, before she notices the cast on Newt’s leg. “Newt ohmygod what happened?!” She exclaims before either of them has the time to explain the date bit. 

“Had a bit of a run in with some homophobes, Tommy here helped me out.” He says, pointing a thumb to his companion who gives a small wave. 

“Tommy?” Sonia says, incredulous. 

“Hi, I’m Thomas.” The American supplies sheepishly. 

“And she’s Sonia, and I’m Newt. Now that we’ve got the introductions out of the way, could someone help me inside?” Newt quips, and they both rush to his side. Once he’s on the sofa, he’s assaulted by questions from his little sister. As he does his best to answer all of them, Thomas disappears in the direction of the walk-in kitchen and returns with a glass of water. 

“Oh sure, make yourself at home.” Newt deadpans as soon as he sees him. 

“It’s for you, dipshit,” Thomas shoots back, “you should take one of those painkillers Jeff gave you.”

“Jeff? Who the fuck is Jeff now?” Sonia demands, exasperated. Newt can only imagine how worried she is if she’s this crass. 

“He’s the nurse that patched me up, a friend of Thomas’s.” he explains patiently, while pulling the pill bottle from his jacket pocket. “Thank you.” he says to Thomas with a smile that he hopes excuses his earlier jab. Once he’s downed the pill and drained the glass, he turns to his sister. 

“Darling, could you take this to the kitchen? I will explain everything, just give me a second or two to catch my breath, a lot has happened.”

She regards him for a second, but when he flicks his gaze to Thomas, she nods and takes his glass. 

Once she’s in the kitchen, Thomas takes her place by Newt’s legs on the sofa. “So… About that number.” He says with a grin and Newt smirks back. 

“I suppose I do owe you,” he grants, “give me your phone.” He chuckles when Thomas’s face lights up like all his christmases have come at once. He has already handed the phone back and Thomas is getting up by the time Sonia makes her presence known again. 

“Oh you’re going already? Stay a bit! I’m sure Newt would love you to, Tommy,” she says sweetly, putting emphasis on the nickname. And god, Newt isn’t sure if he should be proud of her or mortified. Thomas just laughs. 

“I’m sure he would, but I really need to go. I’ll be back with the crutches tomorrow though, so you can enjoy my company then.” He says with a wink.

Newt wishes he could kill them both with the force of his glare, seeing as he’s otherwise useless at the moment. “You’re both lucky I’m bound to this couch and can’t reach you.” he informs them indignantly, which inspires even more laughter. 

Thomas, however, bends down to kiss him on the top of the head before he turns to leave, and how can Newt stay mad after that. 

He can, however, stay mad at his sister, who practically throws herself on the couch next to him once she’d escorted Thomas out the door. No regard for his broken leg apparently. 

“He’s cute,” She says with a sly grin, “what’s that about a date?” 

Newt rolls his eyes “I miss the good times when you were fussing over my broken leg a minute ago,” he says mock-wistfully. She scoffs. 

“Oh no, your non-existent sex life is way more important.” She informs him dryly and he groans.

“Aren’t you supposed to be disgusted by anything that entails me and sex in the same context?”

“Ha! No. My entire existence is a see-saw between being the best wingman and biggest source of embarrassment for you, sometimes at the same time.” Newt is astonished at how much sense that makes. Her eyes soften then, “But seriously, you really like him that much? I’ve never seen you this relaxed with someone you just met. Assuming you just met him and haven’t been lying to me.”

Newt chuckles. “Yes, I met him today.” He reassures her, “But I trust him for some reason. I may be stupid for it but he just seems like a genuinely good person. And he’s funny. And those eyes, have you seen his eyes?” he exaggerates to make Sonia giggle.

“Yes I’ve seen the eyes, they really are quite pretty.” She agrees, “Now, would you like something to eat? You must be starving.” Newt nods enthusiastically. The painkillers must be working, “Alright, I’ll make us some food and you can tell me the whole story over supper.” She says with a giggle and disappears off to the kitchen, leaving Newt to ponder whether he should exclude bit about Thomas being in a gang and offering him to join or not. 

He'll cross that bridge when he gets to it.

**Author's Note:**

> yell at me in the comments if you want those snippets i mentioned and i might just write them ;)


End file.
